What does ἐκπορεύομαι (ekporeúomai) mean in the Bible?
Ekporeuomai means to go out, proceed, or come forth from a place or source. Crowds go out from Jerusalem to John's baptism, and other crowds come out to hear his warning.
Greek · G1607
ἐκπορεύομαι
To depart, be discharged, proceed, project
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ἐκπορεύομαι G1607
Pronunciation ekporeúomai
What does ἐκπορεύομαι (ekporeúomai) mean in the Bible?
Ekporeuomai means to go out, proceed, or come forth from a place or source. Crowds go out from Jerusalem to John's baptism, and other crowds come out to hear his warning.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἐκπορεύομαι (G1607) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1607?
The BSB source-word alignment has 33 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include came (3), come (3), proceeds (3), [People] went out (2), comes (2).
Where does ἐκπορεύομαι (ekporeúomai) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 3:5. Its strongest book concentrations include Mark (11), Revelation (8), Matthew (5), Acts (3).
Are there verse guides for ἐκπορεύομαι (ekporeúomai)?
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
Ekporeuomai means to go out, proceed, or come forth from a place or source. Crowds go out from Jerusalem to John's baptism, and other crowds come out to hear his warning. Jesus uses the verb for what proceeds from a person, declaring food clean while locating defilement in the heart's evil output. Paul applies the same movement image to speech: no corrupt word should proceed from the mouth, only what builds up.
Revelation depicts the river of life proceeding from God's and the Lamb's throne. The verb marks outward movement, but it does not make all its objects comparable. People, words, moral uncleanness, and eschatological water proceed in distinct literary settings. Responsible teaching identifies the source, what comes forth, and the result.
How the Bible Uses It
Ekporeuomai marks movement outward from a source: people leave cities, defiling things emerge from the heart, words proceed from the mouth, and living water flows from the divine throne. The shared spatial image serves different narrative, ethical, and visionary claims.
- Matt.3.5
People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region around the Jordan.
Matthew 3:5 describes Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordan region going out to John. The movement shows the broad response to his wilderness ministry but does not by itself establish genuine repentance in every hearer.
- Mark.7.19
Because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)
Mark 7:19 occurs in Jesus' explanation that food enters the stomach and passes out, a statement Mark relates to declaring foods clean. The bodily process supports Jesus' relocation of defilement to the heart.
- Luke.3.7
Then John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Luke 3:7 addresses crowds coming out to be baptized. John's severe warning refuses reliance on ancestry or ritual movement without fruits consistent with repentance.
- Eph.4.29
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
Ephesians 4:29 forbids corrupt speech from proceeding out of the mouth. Words should instead meet need, build others up, and give grace to those who hear.
- Rev.22.1
Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
Revelation 22:1 shows the river of the water of life proceeding from the throne of God and the Lamb. The vision presents life and renewal as flowing from divine rule and presence.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It came 3× Luke 4:22, Revelation 1:16, Revelation 4:5
come 3× Mark 7:21, Mark 7:23, Ephesians 4:29
proceeds 3× John 15:26, Revelation 11:5, Revelation 19:15
[People] went out 2× Matthew 3:5, Mark 1:5
comes 2× Matthew 15:11, Mark 7:20
proceeded 2× Revelation 9:17, Revelation 9:18
that come 2× Matthew 15:18, Mark 7:15
were leaving 2× Matthew 20:29, Mark 10:46
. . . 1× Acts 9:28
[and] go out 1× Revelation 16:14
[Jesus and His disciples] went 1× Mark 11:19
[Jesus] started 1× Mark 10:17
come out 1× John 5:29
coming out 1× Luke 3:7
flowing 1× Revelation 22:1
going there 1× Acts 25:4
is eliminated 1× Mark 7:19
left 1× Acts 19:12
spread 1× Luke 4:37
that comes 1× Matthew 4:4
was leaving 1× Mark 13:1
when you leave 1× Mark 6:11
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 3:5 ἐξεπορεύετο to [People] went out Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 4:4 ἐκπορευομένῳ to that comes Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Neuter Singular Matthew 15:11 ἐκπορευόμενον to comes Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Singular Matthew 15:18 ἐκπορευόμενα to that come Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Plural Matthew 20:29 ἐκπορευομένων to were leaving Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine Plural Mark 1:5 ἐξεπορεύετο to [People] went out Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Mark 6:11 ἐκπορευόμενοι to when you leave Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural Mark 7:15 ἐκπορευόμενά to that come Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Plural Mark 7:19 ἐκπορεύεται to is eliminated Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Mark 7:20 ἐκπορευόμενον to comes Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 3:5
Aligned rows 33
Books represented 7
Matthew 5 Mark 11 Luke 3 John 2 Acts 3 Ephesians 1 Revelation 8
Source forms
ἐκπορεύεται 7x ekporeuetai Mark 7:19, Mark 7:23, John 15:26, Revelation 9:17
ἐκπορευομένου 4x ekporeuomenou Mark 10:17, Mark 10:46, Mark 13:1, Revelation 9:18
ἐκπορευόμενον 3x ekporeuomenon Matthew 15:11, Mark 7:20, Revelation 22:1
ἐξεπορεύετο 3x exeporeueto Matthew 3:5, Mark 1:5, Luke 4:37
ἐκπορεύεσθαι 2x ekporeuesthai Acts 19:12, Acts 25:4
ἐκπορευομένοις 2x ekporeuomenois Luke 3:7, Luke 4:22
ἐκπορεύονται 2x ekporeuontai Mark 7:21, Revelation 4:5
ἐκπορευέσθω 1x ekporeuesthō Ephesians 4:29
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular 7x Mark 7:19, Mark 7:23, John 15:26, Revelation 9:17
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular 3x Matthew 3:5, Mark 1:5, Luke 4:37
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine Singular 3x Mark 10:17, Mark 10:46, Mark 13:1
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural 2x Mark 7:21, Revelation 4:5
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive 2x Acts 19:12, Acts 25:4
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Masculine Plural 2x Luke 3:7, Luke 4:22
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Plural 2x Matthew 15:18, Mark 7:15
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Singular 2x Matthew 15:11, Mark 7:20
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not treat physical digestion or bodily processes as morally unclean in themselves.
- Do not equate attendance at religious events with the fruits of repentance.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not treat physical digestion or bodily processes as morally unclean in themselves.
- Do not equate attendance at religious events with the fruits of repentance.
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To go forth or emerge from a source, often of spiritual/intangible things proceeding outward.
Source Gloss
to depart, be discharged, proceed, project
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 34 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 3:5 Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
ἐξεπορεύετο exeporeueto
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Matthew 4:4 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Dative Singular Neuter
ἐκπορευομένῳ ekporeuomenw
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Matthew 15:11 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Singular Neuter
ἐκπορευόμενον ekporeuomenon
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Matthew 15:18 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Plural Neuter
ἐκπορευόμενα ekporeuomena
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Matthew 17:21 Verb Third Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
ἐκπορεύεται ekporeuetai
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Matthew 20:29 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Genitive Plural Masculine
ἐκπορευομένων ekporeuomenwn
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Mark 1:5 Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
ἐξεπορεύετο exeporeueto
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Mark 6:11 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἐκπορευόμενοι ekporeuomenoi
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Mark 7:15 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Plural Neuter
ἐκπορευόμενα ekporeuomena
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Mark 7:19 Verb Third Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
ἐκπορεύεται, ekporeuetai
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Mark 7:20 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Singular Neuter
ἐκπορευόμενον, ekporeuomenon
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Mark 7:21 Verb Third Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
ἐκπορεύονται, ekporeuontai
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Mark 7:23 Verb Third Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
ἐκπορεύεται, ekporeuetai
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Mark 10:17 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Genitive Singular Masculine
ἐκπορευομένου ekporeuomenou
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Mark 10:46 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Genitive Singular Masculine
ἐκπορευομένου ekporeuomenou
I journey out, come forth
Read verse Mark 11:19 Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
ἐξεπορεύετο exeporeueto
I journey out, come forth
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 4 Aligned forms 33 Tenses Present, Imperfect, Future Voices Middle
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 14×
Present Middle Mark 7:19 · Mark 7:23 · John 15:26 · Rev 9:17 · Rev 11:5 · Rev 16:14 · Rev 19:15 · Mark 7:21 · Rev 4:5 9×
Imperfect Middle Matt 3:5 · Mark 1:5 · Luke 4:37 · Mark 11:19 4×
Future Middle John 5:29 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 16×
Present Middle Mark 10:17 · Mark 10:46 · Mark 13:1 · Matt 15:11 · Mark 7:20 · Matt 15:18 · Mark 7:15 · Luke 3:7 · Luke 4:22 · Matt 4:4 · Matt 20:29 · Mark 6:11 · Acts 9:28 · Rev 1:16 · Rev 9:18 · Rev 22:1 16×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 2×
Present Middle Acts 19:12 · Acts 25:4 2×
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Present Middle Eph 4:29 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 32 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 27 imperfect 4 future 1
Voice
middle 32
Mood
participle 15 indicative 14 infinitive 2 imperative 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 3:5 ἐξεπορεύετο imperfect middle indicative background Matthew 4:4 ἐκπορευομένῳ present middle participle participle Matthew 15:11 ἐκπορευόμενον present middle participle participle Matthew 15:18 ἐκπορευόμενα present middle participle participle Matthew 20:29 ἐκπορευομένων present middle participle participle Mark 1:5 ἐξεπορεύετο imperfect middle indicative background Mark 6:11 ἐκπορευόμενοι present middle participle participle Mark 7:15 ἐκπορευόμενά present middle participle participle Mark 7:19 ἐκπορεύεται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 7:20 ἐκπορευόμενον present middle participle participle Mark 7:21 ἐκπορεύονται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 7:23 ἐκπορεύεται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 10:17 ἐκπορευομένου present middle participle participle Mark 10:46 ἐκπορευομένου present middle participle participle Mark 11:19 ἐξεπορεύοντο imperfect middle indicative background Mark 13:1 ἐκπορευομένου present middle participle participle Luke 3:7 ἐκπορευομένοις present middle participle participle Luke 4:22 ἐκπορευομένοις present middle participle participle Luke 4:37 ἐξεπορεύετο imperfect middle indicative background John 5:29 ἐκπορεύσονται future middle indicative prospective John 15:26 ἐκπορεύεται present middle indicative ongoing Acts 19:12 ἐκπορεύεσθαι present middle infinitive infinitive Acts 25:4 ἐκπορεύεσθαι present middle infinitive infinitive Ephesians 4:29 ἐκπορευέσθω present middle imperative imperative Revelation 1:16 ἐκπορευομένη present middle participle participle Revelation 4:5 ἐκπορεύονται present middle indicative ongoing Revelation 9:17 ἐκπορεύεται present middle indicative ongoing Revelation 9:18 ἐκπορευομένου present middle participle participle Revelation 11:5 ἐκπορεύεται present middle indicative ongoing Revelation 16:14 ἐκπορεύεται present middle indicative ongoing Revelation 19:15 ἐκπορεύεται present middle indicative ongoing Revelation 22:1 ἐκπορευόμενον present middle participle participle
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Origins
ἐκπορεύομαι is built from these roots:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Ekporeuomai is a movement verb whose theological usefulness lies in the relationships each passage supplies. Crowds can go out to a prophet while still needing genuine repentance. Food can pass through the body without creating the heart's moral uncleanness. Words can proceed from the mouth as decay or as grace-shaped help. In Revelation, the river of life proceeds from the throne, portraying God and the Lamb as the source of new-creation abundance.
These texts invite a searching but bounded question: what comes from this source, and what does it produce? Applied to speech, the answer is concrete and communal. Christians are to refuse words that corrode and choose words fitted to another's need. Applied to salvation and new creation, the answer remains divine: life originates in God's sovereign presence, not in human moral output.
Anchor passage
Eph.4.29
Doctrinal connections
- Repentance: outward response to preaching must bear fruit rather than rely on ancestry or ritual.
- Human heart: Jesus locates moral defilement in what emerges from within.
- Christian speech: words are evaluated by whether they corrupt or build up and give grace.
- Creation and embodiment: Jesus speaks realistically about bodily processes without treating the body as morally evil.
- Divine kingship: Revelation's river proceeds from the throne of God and the Lamb.
- New creation: living water images final healing, abundance, and unhindered divine presence.
Ekporeuomai combines ek with poreuomai and commonly denotes going or coming out from somewhere. The construction may identify the source with ek or apo, while context determines whether the movement is literal, physiological, verbal, or visionary.
From Old to New Testament
Eden's river waters the garden, temple visions picture life-giving water flowing outward, and prophets summon people to repentance. Revelation brings river and temple hopes to fulfillment in God's and the Lamb's immediate presence.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain